EP3361568A1

EP3361568A1 - Base station antenna

Info

Publication number: EP3361568A1
Application number: EP16861535.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Zhiming Yang; Zhixiong Zhao; Ping LV
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2015-11-04
Filing date: 2016-11-01
Publication date: 2018-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-01
Also published as: WO2017076267A1; EP3361568B1; EP3361568A4; CN205429163U

Abstract

Embodiments of this application provide a base station antenna. The base station antenna includes: an antenna end cover, at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors, an electrically conductive ground lug, and an electrically conductive ground component. The radio frequency coaxial connectors are disposed on the antenna end cover, the electrically conductive ground lug is disposed on a side that is of the antenna end cover and that is mounted with an antenna inner support, and the electrically conductive ground lug is separately connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors and the electrically conductive ground component. By means of the base station antenna provided in the embodiments of this application, a conductive path of a lightning current is shortened, lightning protection reliability of the base station antenna is improved, and space of an antenna reflection panel does not need to be occupied.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of this application relate to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a base station antenna.

BACKGROUND

Common base station antennas are applied to outdoor scenarios. To prevent a lightning stroke from destroying a functional component inside an antenna and ensure lightning protection reliability, a lightning protection grounding system usually needs to be designed for entering and exiting at a port of a radio frequency coaxial connector 11 of the antenna. Currently, in an antenna grounding manner, a main feeder 17 of a radio frequency coaxial connector 11 is usually soldered to a ground piece 16, the ground piece 16 is securely connected to an antenna reflection panel 15, and then a ground current is transferred to outside by using an antenna inner support 14 and a base; or after a radio frequency coaxial connector 11 is secured to a ground piece 16 by using a screw, the radio frequency coaxial connector 11 and the ground piece 16 transfer a ground current with an antenna reflection panel 15, an antenna inner support 14, and a base. Specifically, for an antenna grounding manner, refer to a structure shown in FIG. 1.
In a grounding manner of a base station antenna in the prior art, a conductive path of a ground current of the base station antenna is: a radio frequency coaxial connector→a main feeder→a ground piece→an antenna reflection panel→an antenna inner support→outside. This grounding manner requires a large quantity of ground pieces, and it is difficult to find sufficient locations for deploying so many ground pieces for a complex antenna. In addition, the conductive path of the ground current is excessively long, and lightning protection reliability is poor.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of this application provide a base station antenna, to resolve technical problems of limited deployment space of ground pieces and poor lightning protection reliability of a base station antenna in the prior art.
According to a first aspect, this application provides a base station antenna, including: an antenna end cover, at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors, an electrically conductive ground lug, and an electrically conductive ground component.
The radio frequency coaxial connectors are disposed on the antenna end cover, the electrically conductive ground lug is disposed on a side that is of the antenna end cover and that is mounted with an antenna inner support, and the electrically conductive ground lug is separately connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors and the electrically conductive ground component.
By means of the base station antenna provided in the first aspect, the electrically conductive ground lug is disposed on the side that is of the antenna end cover and that is mounted with the antenna inner support, and the electrically conductive ground lug is separately connected to the radio frequency coaxial connectors and the electrically conductive ground component, so that a conductive path of a lightning current is shortened, and lightning protection reliability of the base station antenna is improved. On the other hand, by means of the base station antenna provided in this embodiment of this application, space of an antenna reflection panel does not need to be occupied, and there is no need to connect to main feeders. Therefore, operations of producing main feeder strips and soldering main feeders with a ground lug are reduced, and impact of limitations to ground pieces in deployment, cabling, and the like on the reflection panel is avoided.
In a possible implementation of the first aspect, connecting terminals connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors are disposed on the electrically conductive ground lug, and the electrically conductive ground lug is connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors by using the connecting terminals.
In another possible implementation of the first aspect, a positioning structure is provided on the side that is of the antenna end cover and that is mounted with the antenna inner support, and the electrically conductive ground lug is fixedly disposed, by using the positioning structure, on the side that is of the antenna end cover and that is mounted with the antenna inner support.
In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the electrically conductive ground component is the antenna inner support, the electrically conductive ground lug is connected to a first side surface of the antenna inner support, and a second side surface of the antenna inner support is connected to an antenna reflection panel, where the first side surface is a surface on which the antenna inner support is mounted on the antenna end cover, and the second side surface is a surface that is of the antenna inner support and that right faces the antenna reflection panel.
In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the electrically conductive ground component is an antenna reflection panel, and the electrically conductive ground lug is connected to the antenna inner support by using the antenna reflection panel.
In another possible implementation of the first aspect, a quantity of electrically conductive ground lugs is less than or equal to a quantity of the radio frequency coaxial connectors disposed on the antenna end cover.
In another possible implementation of the first aspect, there is one electrically conductive ground lug, and the one electrically conductive ground lug is connected to all the radio frequency coaxial connectors disposed on the antenna end cover.
By means of the base station antenna provided in the implementations, because a port of each radio frequency coaxial connector on a conventional base station antenna usually needs to be connected to a ground piece or a ground end, causing a relatively complex and low efficiency production process, there may be one electrically conductive ground lug in the implementations. In this way, the quantity of ground lugs can be reduced, costs can be reduced, and production assembly efficiency can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or in the prior art more clearly, the following briefly introduces the accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments or the prior art. Apparently, the accompanying drawings in the following description show some embodiments of the present application, and a person of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other drawings from these accompanying drawings without creative efforts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station antenna in the prior art according to this application;
FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram showing that an electrically conductive ground lug in a base station antenna is connected to a radio frequency coaxial connector according to this application;
FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 1 of a base station antenna according to this application;
FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 2 of a base station antenna according to this application;
FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 3 of a base station antenna according to this application; and
FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 4 of a base station antenna according to this application.

Description of reference numerals:

100: Base station antenna; 10: Antenna end cover; 11: Radio frequency coaxial connector;
12: Electrically conductive ground lug; 13: Electrically conductive ground component; 14: Antenna inner support;
121: Connecting terminal; 101: Positioning structure;
111: Nut of a radio frequency coaxial connector; 112: Flange of a radio frequency coaxial connector;
122: Through hole; 141: First side surface; 142: Second side surface;
15: Antenna reflection panel; 123: First bending structure; 124: Second bending structure;
16: Ground piece; and 17: Main feeder.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely a part rather than all of the embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.
A base station antenna 100 in the embodiments of this application may be applied to outdoor mounting, and the base station antenna 100 may avoid destruction of a lightning stroke. The base station antenna 100 may be applied to lightning protection grounding of a base station of a 2G communications system, or may be applied to lightning protection grounding of base stations of 3G and 4G communications systems, or may be applied to lightning protection grounding of base stations of 4.5G and 5G communications systems.
During lightning protection grounding of a base station antenna in the prior art in FIG. 1, radio frequency coaxial connectors 11, main feeders 17, ground pieces 16, an antenna reflection panel 15, and an inner support are connected. Such a grounding manner requires a large quantity of ground pieces 16, and locations for deploying the ground pieces 16 needs to be searched for on the antenna reflection panel 15. In a scenario of a complex multi-band antenna, because locations that are on the antenna reflection panel 15 and that are close to a lower end are relatively compact, the ground pieces 16 can only be deployed far away from a current source such as the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11. Consequently, a lightning current flows through "the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11→the main feeders 17→the ground pieces 16→the antenna reflection panel 15→the antenna inner support 14→outside", a path of the passed-through current is relatively long, and lightning protection reliability is relatively poor.
The base station antenna provided in the embodiments of this application aims to resolve technical problems of limited deployment space of ground pieces and poor lightning protection reliability of a base station antenna in the prior art.
The technical solutions of this application are described below in detail by using specific embodiments. The following several specific embodiments may be combined with each other. Details of same or similar concepts or processes may not be described in some embodiments.
FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram showing that an electrically conductive ground lug in a base station antenna is connected to a radio frequency coaxial connector according to this application, and FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 1 of a base station antenna according to this application. In this embodiment, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is deployed on an antenna end cover 10 by using space on the antenna end cover 10, so that the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is directly connected to the radio frequency coaxial connector 11 and a ground component, thereby shortening a current path of a lightning current. As shown in FIG. 2, the base station antenna 100 includes: the antenna end cover 10, at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors 11, the electrically conductive ground lug 12, and an electrically conductive ground component 13. The radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 are disposed on the antenna end cover 10, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is disposed on a side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with an antenna inner support 14, and the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is separately connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 and the electrically conductive ground component 13.
It should be noted that the electrically conductive ground component 13 may be the antenna inner support 14 or an antenna reflection panel 15. A structure shown in FIG. 3 is an example in which the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is connected to the antenna inner support 14. In addition, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 in this embodiment of this application may include at least one metal part or component. The metal part or component may include sheet metal, a metal wire, a metal bar, a metal block, a metal pipe, or the like.
Specifically, the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 in this embodiment of this application do not need to be connected to main feeders 17, and the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 are disposed on the antenna end cover 10. For a specific disposing manner, refer to a disposing manner in the prior art. The antenna end cover 10 may be insulative. The electrically conductive ground lug 12 in this embodiment is disposed on the side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with the antenna inner support 14, and is separately connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 and the electrically conductive ground component 13. Optionally, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 may be soldered on the side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with the antenna inner support 14, or may be riveted to the side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with the antenna inner support 14. A manner of disposing the electrically conductive ground lug 12 on the antenna end cover 10 is not limited in this embodiment. Optionally, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 being connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 may be that the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is connected to the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 in any metal connection manner. The "metal connection manner" herein may be a buckle connection (for example, an electrically conductive protrusion is disposed on the electrically conductive ground lug 12, and an electrically conductive groove is provided on the radio frequency coaxial connector 11, so as to implement the buckle connection), a positioning compression connection (that is, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is compressed under a nut of the radio frequency coaxial connector 11), or any connection manner such as soldering, provided that the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 is electrically conducted to the electrically conductive ground lug 12.
On the other hand, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is further connected to the electrically conductive ground component 13. Optionally, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 may be connected to the electrically conductive ground component 13 in any metal connection manner. In FIG. 3, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is connected to the antenna inner support 14, and is connected to the antenna reflection panel 15 by using the antenna inner support 14. Therefore, when the base station antenna 100 is under action of a high-intensity lightning current, because the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is directly connected to the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 and the electrically conductive ground component 13, when the lightning current enters the base station antenna 100 from the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11, the lightning current directly arrives at the electrically conductive ground component 13 by passing through the electrically conductive ground lug 12, and further flows to outside, so that a conductive path of a ground current is shortened, thereby improving lightning protection reliability of the base station antenna 100. In addition, by means of the base station antenna 100 provided in this embodiment of this application, space of the antenna reflection panel 15 does not need to be occupied, and main feeders 17 are not required, that is, ground pieces 16 on the antenna reflection panel 15 in the prior art are removed. Besides, operations of producing main feeders 17 and strip soldering are reduced, and impact of limitations to the ground pieces 16 in deployment, cabling, and the like on the reflection panel is avoided.
By means of the base station antenna provided in this embodiment of this application, the electrically conductive ground lug is disposed on the side that is of the antenna end cover and that is mounted with the antenna inner support, and the electrically conductive ground lug is separately connected to the radio frequency coaxial connectors and the electrically conductive ground component, so that a conductive path of a lightning current is shortened, and lightning protection reliability of the base station antenna is improved. On the other hand, by means of the base station antenna provided in this embodiment of this application, the electrically conductive ground lug does not need to occupy space of the antenna reflection panel and does not need to be connected to main feeders. Therefore, operations of producing main feeder strips and soldering main feeders with a ground lug are reduced, and impact of limitations to ground pieces in deployment, cabling, and the like on the reflection panel is avoided.
FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 2 of a base station antenna according to this application, and the figure is an exploded view of the base station antenna. Based on the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 (the example in which the electrically conductive ground component 13 is the antenna inner support 14 is still used in FIG. 4), further, referring to FIG. 4, connecting terminals 121 connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 are disposed on the electrically conductive ground lug 12, and the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 by using the connecting terminals 121. Further, a positioning structure 101 is provided on the side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with the antenna inner support 14, and the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is fixedly disposed, by using the positioning structure 101, on the side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with the antenna inner support 14.
Specifically, when the connecting terminal 121 of the electrically conductive ground lug 12 shown in FIG. 4 is connected to the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11, the connecting terminal 121 may be disposed under a nut 111 of the radio frequency coaxial connector 11, and then the electrically conductive ground lug 12 may be connected to the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 by screwing a flange 112 of the radio frequency coaxial connector 11 to the nut 111 of the radio frequency coaxial connector 11. Optionally, there may be a plurality of connecting terminals 121, and a specific quantity of the connecting terminals 121 is related to a quantity of the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11. On the other hand, the positioning structure 101 provided on the side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with the antenna inner support 14 may be an insulative positioning structure 101, and a quantity of positioning structures 101 is related to a quantity of ground lugs. A through hole 122 matching the positioning structure 101 may be provided on the electrically conductive ground lug 12. When the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is fixedly disposed on the side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with the antenna inner support 14, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 can be fastened provided that the positioning structure 101 is disposed through the through hole 122.
Optionally, there may be one electrically conductive ground lug 12 or a plurality of electrically conductive ground lugs 12. When there is one electrically conductive ground lug 12, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 needs to be connected to all the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 disposed on the antenna end cover 10. Because a port of each radio frequency coaxial connector on a conventional base station antenna usually needs to be connected to a ground piece or a ground end, causing a relatively complex and low efficiency production process, in this implementation, there may be one electrically conductive ground lug 12. In this way, the quantity of ground lugs can be reduced, costs can be reduced, and production assembly efficiency can be improved. When there are a plurality of electrically conductive ground lugs 12, the quantity of electrically conductive ground lugs 12 needs to be less than or equal to a quantity of all the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 disposed on the antenna end cover 10, that is, one electrically conductive ground lug 12 may be connected to one radio frequency coaxial connector 11, or may be connected to some radio frequency coaxial connectors 11 in all the radio frequency coaxial connectors 11.
FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 3 of a base station antenna according to this application. Based on the embodiments shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, in this embodiment, if the electrically conductive ground component 13 is the antenna inner support 14, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is connected to a first side surface 141 of the antenna inner support 14, and a second side surface 142 of the antenna inner support 14 is connected to the antenna reflection panel 15. The first side surface 141 is a surface on which the antenna inner support 14 is mounted on the antenna end cover 10, and the second side surface 142 is a surface that is of the antenna inner support 14 and that right faces the antenna reflection panel 15.
In this embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the ground lug is located between the first side surface 141 and the antenna end cover 10. When the first side surface 141 of the antenna inner support 14 is mounted on the antenna end cover 10 by using a screw or another connecting piece, the first side surface 141 can compress the ground lug on the antenna end cover 10, thereby ensuring securing of the ground lug.
FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 4 of a base station antenna according to this application. Based on the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, in this embodiment, if the electrically conductive ground component 13 is the antenna reflection panel 15 (the example in which the electrically conductive component is the antenna inner support 14 is used in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4), the electrically conductive ground lug 12 may be connected to the antenna inner support 14 by using the antenna reflection panel 15 (the antenna inner support 14 is not shown in FIG. 6, and for a connection between the antenna transmission panel 15 and the antenna inner support 14, refer to the prior art).
Optionally, in this embodiment, the electrically conductive ground lug 12 may be a bending structure. The bending structure may include a first bending structure 123 and a second bending structure 124. The first bending structure 123 is located on the side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with the antenna inner support 14, so that the ground lug can be connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors 11. The second bending structure 124 may be or may not be perpendicular to the first bending structure 123 in space. However, the second bending structure 124 and the first bending structure 123 are not in one plane (the first bending structure 123 is on the side that is of the antenna end cover 10 and that is mounted with the antenna inner support 14, and the second bending structure 124 is in a plane of the antenna reflection panel 15). It can be ensured that the electrically conductive ground lug 12 is connected the antenna reflection panel 15 by using the second bending structure 124 in a metal connection manner such as a screw, a nut, or soldering, so that the electrically conductive ground lug 12 can further be connected to the antenna inner support 14 by using the antenna reflection panel 15. It should be noted that in this embodiment, when the antenna inner support 14 is connected to the antenna end cover 10, no electrically conductive ground lug 12 exists between the first side surface 141 of the antenna inner support 14 and the antenna end cover 10, that is, there is no direct connection relationship between the antenna inner support 14 and the electrically conductive ground lug 12.
Finally, it should be noted that the foregoing embodiments are merely intended for describing the technical solutions of this application other than limiting this application. Although this application is described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, persons of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they may still make modifications to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent replacements to some or all technical features thereof, without departing from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

A base station antenna, comprising: an antenna end cover, at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors, an electrically conductive ground lug, and an electrically conductive ground component, wherein
the radio frequency coaxial connectors are disposed on the antenna end cover, the electrically conductive ground lug is disposed on a side that is of the antenna end cover and that is mounted with an antenna inner support, and the electrically conductive ground lug is separately connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors and the electrically conductive ground component.
The base station antenna according to claim 1, wherein connecting terminals connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors are disposed on the electrically conductive ground lug, and the electrically conductive ground lug is connected to the at least two radio frequency coaxial connectors by using the connecting terminals.
The base station antenna according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a positioning structure is provided on the side that is of the antenna end cover and that is mounted with the antenna inner support, and the electrically conductive ground lug is fixedly disposed, by using the positioning structure, on the side that is of the antenna end cover and that is mounted with the antenna inner support.
The base station antenna according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrically conductive ground component is the antenna inner support, the electrically conductive ground lug is connected to a first side surface of the antenna inner support, and a second side surface of the antenna inner support is connected to an antenna reflection panel, wherein the first side surface is a surface on which the antenna inner support is mounted on the antenna end cover, and the second side surface is a surface that is of the antenna inner support and that right faces the antenna reflection panel.
The base station antenna according to claim 3, wherein the electrically conductive ground component is the antenna inner support, the electrically conductive ground lug is connected to a first side surface of the antenna inner support, and a second side surface of the antenna inner support is connected to an antenna reflection panel, wherein the first side surface is a surface on which the antenna inner support is mounted on the antenna end cover, and the second side surface is a surface that is of the antenna inner support and that right faces the antenna reflection panel.
The base station antenna according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrically conductive ground component is an antenna reflection panel, and the electrically conductive ground lug is connected to the antenna inner support by using the antenna reflection panel.
The base station antenna according to claim 3, wherein the electrically conductive ground component is an antenna reflection panel, and the electrically conductive ground lug is connected to the antenna inner support by using the antenna reflection panel.
The base station antenna according to claim 1, 2, 5, or 7, wherein a quantity of electrically conductive ground lugs is less than or equal to a quantity of the radio frequency coaxial connectors disposed on the antenna end cover.
The base station antenna according to claim 3, wherein a quantity of electrically conductive ground lugs is less than or equal to a quantity of the radio frequency coaxial connectors disposed on the antenna end cover.
The base station antenna according to claim 4, wherein a quantity of electrically conductive ground lugs is less than or equal to a quantity of the radio frequency coaxial connectors disposed on the antenna end cover.
The base station antenna according to claim 6, wherein a quantity of electrically conductive ground lugs is less than or equal to a quantity of the radio frequency coaxial connectors disposed on the antenna end cover.
The base station antenna according to claim 8, wherein there is one electrically conductive ground lug, and the one electrically conductive ground lug is connected to all the radio frequency coaxial connectors disposed on the antenna end cover.